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YouTube TV adds a clock to its live guide; Apple TV gets the new UI

By Phil Nickinson November 11, 2022

It’s the simple things that can make all the difference. YouTube TV — the largest live TV streaming service in the U.S. — has added a clock to its live guide.

Why, you ask? So you can see what time it is, of course.

YouTube TV clock.

It’s a small addition. And it’s not like there might not already be any number of ways to see the time, be it on your wrist, on your phone, or on the wall. But YouTube TV is so excited about it that it made a GIF celebrating the addition.

The clock is rolling out to living room-based devices now, so just hold tight if you don’t yet see it.

It’s about *time*. The clock feature is here! pic.twitter.com/HpOOWCBvev

— YouTube TV (@YouTubeTV) November 11, 2022

In other YouTube TV news, Apple TV now has the updated YouTube TV user interface that eschews the largest grid — which perhaps was a little easier to read — for the smaller boxes that the other platforms have been enjoying for some time now. That’s notable for a few reasons. First is that its a better, more sophisticated design. Second is that you get recommendations when you first flip over to the live guide, which gives YouTube TV another opportunity to present you with something you might want to watch, rather than you having to think for yourself.

So you have that to look forward to as well.

YouTube TV has more than 5 million subscribers as of June 2022 — about 1.4 million more than its next-closest competitor, Hulu With Live TV. It’s available on every major streaming platform, from the aforementioned Apple TV to Roku and Amazon Fire TV, and Google TV, as well as on various smart TVs, and in a web browser.

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Home Theater

YouTube TV rolls out multiview: watch up to 4 NCAA games at once

An example of YouTube TV's multiview feature.

If you love college basketball and can process more than one game at a time, you're going to go bananas for YouTube TV's new multiview feature, which will be rolling out on a limited, early access basis starting March 14. With multiview, you'll be able to pick up to four channels and see them all simultaneously, with the ability to easily flip the active audio from one to another. The new feature is compatible with any TV-based YouTube TV installations (streaming media players, smart TVs, and game consoles), but it doesn't yet work on mobile devices or computers.

Initially, multiview will only be available to select YouTube TV users, who will be chosen at random. But Google says the goal is to include every subscriber by the time NFL football season starts in the fall. Another limitation, at least for now, is that YouTube TV will preselect the multiview channels you can choose. At launch, only channels that carry NCAA tournament games will be included in that preselected list.
How to use YouTube TV multiview
If you're one of the lucky, randomly chosen users, you'll see an option to watch up to four preselected, different streams at once in your “Top Picks for You” section. After selecting multiview, you can switch audio and captions between streams, and jump in and out of a full-screen view of a game.
It's all about sports
At the moment, YouTube TV sees multiview as an enhancement of the sports viewing experience, so only sports content will be eligible. YouTube TV has had some big sports wins in 2022, including 4K coverage of the Soccer World Cup, and that trend will continue in 2023 thanks to its acquisition of the NFL Sunday Ticket games. However, YouTube TV recently lost access to MLB Network and the MLB.tv add-on, which reduces the amount of sports content available for multiview in 2023.

Home Theater

Pioneer Elite’s latest flagship AVR is jammed with new audio tech

Pioneer Elite VSX-LX805 AVR with a TV.

Pioneer electronics makes some of the best AV receivers money can buy, and its flagship Pioneer Elite brand is about to push that envelope further with the announcement of its latest AVR (audio video receiver), the Elite VSX-LX805. The 11.2.4-channel network receiver will be available this Spring for a premium $2,999, but that big price gets you big power at 150 watts per channel, a new 32-bit digital audio converter, some AI-driven room calibration, and some audiophile upgrades.

The Pioneer Elite VSX-LX805 is the first Pioneer receiver to be designed in cooperation with Premium Audio Company since its licensing agreement with Pioneer/Pioneer Elite in 2021, which put them in charge of marketing and selling the brands' AVR business globally (except in China). PAC is a powerhouse of home audio gear, with huge brands under its umbrella, including Klipsch, Onkyo, Teac, and Energy, so expectations are high for its new arrivals.

Home Theater

What is Dolby Vision? The dynamic HDR format fully explained

An example of the difference between Dolby Vision and regular HDR.

Of all the new TV technologies to emerge over the last few years, it's arguable that none has had as big an impact on overall picture quality as High Dynamic Range, or HDR. When properly implemented, HDR makes everything pop, while enhancing details and improving color. We think it has been more impactful than the move from Full HD (1080p) to 4K Ultra HD or even 8K resolution.

But not all HDR is created equal; in fact, HDR is a catch-all term that refers to several distinct and competing technologies. The one with the biggest brand recognition is Dolby Vision. Dolby Labs has done such a good job of marketing Dolby Vision as its own platform, many consumers aren't even aware that it's an HDR format. That shouldn't be a surprise: TVs that have Dolby Vision technology are often labeled as "4K HDR TV with Dolby Vision," making it seem as though the two terms aren't related.